Novel Push Initiative Returns!

If you’re wondering what the Novel Push Initiative (NPI) is, it’s a community project created by Nick Enlowe which aims to help writers increase their daily wordcounts.

For the month of October, Nick will be running yet another round. I’ve taken part twice before, although the last time I tried, my life exploded in my face and I had to drop out early. But now that I have settled into my new job, the time has come for me to knuckle down and improve my daily writing habits.

What really works about NPI is that everyone sets their own goals and thus you are competeing solely against yourself. You get to write in a group, have that community support, without the anxiety of comparing your performance to others.

My goal for the month of October is to write at least 200 words every day.

You can follow along using hashtag #novelpi on twitter, and of course if you want to take part, today is the last day to sign up!

Getting to know me

Merrilee Faber posted this amusing little meme and — since I’ve been remiss in posting personal updates — I thought I’d give it a spin.

1. If you could have any superpower, what would you have? Why?

I have never dreamed of being a superhero, helping the oppressed etc. Perhaps that’s bad of me. I have however debated numerous times what superpower I would like to have; top contenders include the ability to commune with animals, invisibility, teleportation, or some kind of mental kinetic power. But perhaps the trump card is the ability to shapeshift.

Why? Maybe it appeals because I grew up reading Animorphs. My reasoning is that by being able to shapeshift into a bird, I would have the power to fly. Shapeshifting into something small would be similar to being invisible. Even better if one can shapeshift into inanimate objects! To be able to escape my own skin, even for a short while, is very appealing.

2. Who is your style icon?

I’m not one for icons, branded goods, trend-following, etc. But living in London means I’m surrounded by fascinating street fashion and makes it easy to keep up-to-date on what’s popular and what’s not. So I pick and choose depending on what suits me. If I had to classify my style, perhaps it would fall under the category of urban casual with a dash of London’s East End.

3. What is your favorite quote?

I would be hard-pressed to pick just one. I’ve actually started collecting quotes on Goodreads.

Out of them right now, the one that stood out was Philip Pullman’s

“…But it gradually seemed to me that I’d made myself believe something that wasn’t true. I’d made myself believe that I was fine and happy and fulfilled on my own without the love of anyone else. Being in love was like China: you knew it was there, and no doubt it was very interesting, and some people went there, but I never would. I’d spend all my life without ever going to China, but it wouldn’t matter, because there was all the rest of the world to visit… And I thought: am I really going to spend the rest of my life without feeling that again? I thought: I want to go to China. It’s full of treasures and strangeness and mysteries and joy.” -The Amber Spyglass

4. What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

I don’t know which the best one is, but the one that touched me the most was to be told that I am a very good listener. Not sure why it touched me so much at the time.

5. What playlist/cd is in your CD player/iPod right now?

Currently listening to The Presets because they are awesome! I’ve got an account on last.fm if you want to see the kind of music I like.

6. Are you a night owl or a morning person?

Night owl, all the way. I would much rather stay up till 2-3am writing, than go to bed early and get up in the morning a bit earlier. Yuck! Mornings are not meant to be seen. There’s something about the stillness of the night that helps me focus. Plus I am very much a party girl. :-)

7. Do you prefer dogs or cats?

I like all animals, but I think I’d have to pick dogs. Because you never know where you stand with cats — they come up all purring and happy and “pet me!” and then all of a sudden turn around and scratch you. But on the other hand, lolcats are way funnier than loldogs. It’s a dilemma….

8. What is the meaning behind your blog name?

I haven’t been very original — it’s just my own name! I do also run quillsandzebras, my book review blog, but the name just comes from me looking at the three leftmost letters on my keyboard and coming up with a meaning for the acrynoym. And my publishing project qazyfiction sprang from there — took the same three letters (q, a, z) and turned it into an adjective. It helps that it was a little inside joke with myself that I almost write fiction.

If you are reading this and haven’t yet completed this meme, consider yourself tagged. Ha!

Writing is for Readers

As the editor for Ergofiction magazine, one of my current responsibilities is to ‘commission’ and coordinate guest posts for our Saturday slots. The topics covered are rather diverse, but as long as they are directed at readers and relate to online fiction, we’re good!

Directed at readers? you ask.

Yes: Ergofiction is an ezine for readers and fans of (free) online fiction. Therefore it makes sense to write directly to these people. Yet a stumbling block I often run into is that writers submit ideas or posts that are not written for readers, but for other writers, such as advice on how to start writing an online serial, or detailed descriptions on craft. And a quick glance through my favourite author blogs turns up posts on writing tips and tricks, editing rants, discussions on the publishing process, and other similar topics.

As a writer, I find these topics interesting. And of course most writers are avid readers. But not all readers are avid writers. Shouldn’t we be writing to them? After all — as the Year Zero motto says — writing is for readers.

When we’re writing fiction, that seems obvious. Of course we’re writing for readers! Who else would read that dystopian erotic alien thriller? But when it comes to non-fiction, there is that little old stumbling block: what in the world do readers want to hear about, other than our stories?

It’s something I must give a lot of thought to as I hunt around for guest posts. What do you think?

Active in the online fiction community and interested in writing a guest post for Ergofiction? Please drop me a line with your ideas.

Romance Book Giveaway!

Male romance authors are hard to come by, which is why I’m pleased to announce a giveaway for indie author J. Timothy King‘s contemporary romance novel From the Ashes of Courage. Intrigued? Read more:

From the Ashes of Courage by J. Timothy King

“… a sense of excitement when I remember that I’m in the middle of this story and can get into it whenever I have a chance to read again…” – Rebekah Labell

Gail Bishop is a headstrong, driven, single-minded businesswoman, a successful independent professional at only 29 years old. But she still feels empty. Eddie Chase is a fun-loving real-estate agent who made a mint in the boom market, now fast running out of money. And their friends set them up on a blind date, unaware that many years ago, they were once married to each other.

Now, both are taken aback by their feelings for each other at a romantic, seaside cottage on Ardor Point, and by the impact this will have on the rest of their lives. This long-languishing relationship that Gail thought was surely dead, could it hold the secret, the meaning of life that she’s looking for?

A heart-wrenching story of human kindness and love without strings.

“Tim’s ability to throw in lines that struck a cord with my heart was wonderful.” – Linda Boulanger

What is romance? The author replies:

JTK: “Romance, to me, is about human relationships and the hope they provide. I know that’s a different definition than many romance fans have, which is why I write traditional romantic elements into my romance stories: a heroine and hero, true love, a happy ending, and so forth. But what really defines “romance” to me goes deeper than that.

Growing up during the 70’s and 80’s, one of my guilty pleasures now is The Love Boat (the TV show). Yeah, yeah, I know: before your time, and you’re lucky to have missed it. But beneath the dime-a-dozen jokes, endless cornball puns, and half-baked plots, that show held a core of what I admire in romance. Next to the standard boy-meets-girl stories, you’d see a story of an old couple rediscovering the real reason they got married in the first place; or a rebellious teenager butting into a grouchy retiree’s pleasure trip; or an estranged daughter spending a last weekend with her dying father. Stories like that have very little in common with the traditional boy-meets-girl prototype, but they define romance to me, because they’re about the human need for relationship.”

Want the chance to win a copy?

You’ve seen Tim’s thoughts on the matter. According to Google, romance is “an illusion”, or perhaps “the never ending pursuit of life’s peak experiences.”

But what do you think romance is?

Leave a comment by Friday September 17th with your definition of “romance” for a chance to win a copy of From the Ashes of Courage! Funny, quirky, factual, sad — anything goes, but the more creative, the better. I’ll pick my favourite answer out of all eligible entries.

And make sure you remember to put in a valid email address! The winner will receive the book directly from the author.

FEELING BLUE

I have come to realize that fashion forever follows nature. Polka dot dresses reminiscent of ladybirds, the black-and-white zebra stripes on high heels, the comfy jumpers with kangaroo pouches…. All the animals imported from Earth have been faithfully copied until there is nothing left to copy. And now this… Blue skin, highlighter-bright.

As a young lady of certain repute — sufficient to garner attention, yet not quite enough to make up the rules — I must conform to fashion’s dictates. So here I sit spreading blue tincture down my arm in preparation for tonight’s festivities. It’s our gold anniversary: 50 Earth years since we colonized Venus.

I say we but of course I played no part in the original settlement — why I was only decanted seventeen years ago! Some of the first colonists still have to wear firmasuits to hold their bodies in place; their bodies are too old to adjust to the gee here, but I never have had to, hence the blue skin.

I’ve heard on Earth girls brown their skin in the sun, and during the cold months tint their skin orange to recapture the warmth. Orange like the sky of Venus, like the endless canyon and deserts… It was Rosca who decided if the Earthmen wear a tribute to us, we should wear a tribute to them.

Blue is a rare colour here on Venus. But on Earth — or at least on the holograms of Earth I’ve seen — you can drown in blueness. Blue sky, blue flowers, why even rivers and lakes and oceans of blue that you can bathe in without protection! (That last I’m not sure about; surely whatever turns the water blue is noxious?)

The thought of so much blueness fills me with a strange longing. Or maybe it is the thought of so much water — the only water in my room, other than that in my body, is the quarter-full tear jar in my pocket. We’re a nation that carries our grief with us, always. It’s our best form of currency. When I fill up this tear jar I’m going to trade it in for something exciting… I don’t know what yet. Perhaps flight lessons, although mother says I should save up for a family permit. As if I am interested in starting a family now!

After what happened with Cajk, I don’t think I shall ever speak to boys again. He… he… I expect he will be there tonight with her. I saw her in the compound last week, carrying an Adsa shopping bag of all things. I imagine she buys discount tinctures there and will attend the party tonight with skin more green than blue. But I shouldn’t judge; mother says it’s unbecoming.

Although I simply cannot stop thinking about it. I don’t understand how she appeals to Cajk! I thought… I was under the impression what we shared was special. I was ready to — well, you know.

Just a minute while I put some tincture on my lips. There, all done. I’m blue everywhere. Even my insides feel blue. What a fanciful thought! But perhaps they are… Perhaps the tincture has seeped through and tainted the bottled-up grief with its colour. As if I need anymore tainting.

Perhaps that’s why Cajk left me: he realized I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t worthy.

Oh! I’m crying. I better put down the dictaphone and catch my tears.